Press release
Minister Flanagan publishes Garda Inspectorate Review of Entry Routes to the Garda Síochána
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The Minister for Justice and Equality, Charlie Flanagan TD, has today published the report of the Garda Inspectorate –‘Review of Entry Routes to the Garda Síochána’.
Welcoming the report the Minister said:
"I wish to thank the Garda Inspectorate for completing this comprehensive review of entry routes into the Garda Síochána, which proposes tailored approaches to the creation of new entry routes into the Organisation up to Assistant Commissioner level. The Review is a valuable resource for policy development to support the Garda Síochána to attract the best possible candidates and to broaden and diversify the Garda workforce, so that it reflects the composition of the communities it serves. I am sending the Review to the Commission on the Future of Policing in Ireland to consider in the context of its forthcoming Report which will bring forward to government proposals on the future of policing including on the appropriate composition and recruitment methods and routes into the Garda Síochána."
The review which was carried out in accordance with the Inspectorate’s functions as outlined in Section 117(2) of the Garda Síochána Act to provide advice to the Minister with regard to best policing practice contains a total of 12 proposals around the following key themes:
- the recruitment of suitable, experienced police officers from police services in other jurisdictions
- the bilateral arrangements between the PSNI and An Garda Síochána for Superintendent rank and above be refreshed and a similar arrangement for Sergeant & Inspector be developed
- a direct entry programme to Inspector level from candidates with appropriate leadership and management experience from outside An Garda Síochána be developed and if successful extended to Superintendents
- utilise the opening up of recruitment to enhance diversity and increase specialist skills
The Minister said:
"The government’s plans to increase the size of the Garda workforce to 21,000 including 15,000 Garda will create an opportunity to develop new approaches to recruitment into the Garda Síochána which will be informed by the proposals outlined in the Inspectorate’s Review and by the recommendations that will be made by the Commission on the Future of Policing when it reports in September."
ENDS
In line with the recommendations of the Garda Inspectorate report ‘Changing Policing in Ireland’, and having regard to the views of the Policing Authority and reforms across public service recruitment, the Minister requested that the Garda Inspectorate examine possibilities for opening up entry routes into An Garda Síochána at all levels and report back with recommendations.
The terms of reference of the review focused on:
- entry routes into An Garda Síochána for police officers from other police services at the Garda rank
- opening up of appointment opportunities at the mid to higher ranks to persons outside of An Garda Síochána
The Review is available below:
